Fury as Labour's policy is announced days before Jewish New Year

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy ANDREW JEHRING, CHIEF FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT and NOA SCHWARZ Published: 22:42 BST, 8 September 2026 | Updated: 11:23 BST, 9 September 2026

Britain's Jewish community on Tuesday warned that Labour's sanctions against Israeli settlements will embolden anti-Semites and extremists in the UK.Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis declared Tuesday's decision as 'truly a dark day for British Jews' at a time when they have never been more vulnerable.There is also fury that Andy Burnham ignored 'significant concerns' raised directly with him by communal leaders last week that his policy will have 'unintended consequences'.Community leaders were shocked that Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband chose to announce the policy just days before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.It is particularly painful given the festival ended with the Heaton Park synagogue terror attack in Manchester last year.Labour life peer Lord Mendelsohn told the Daily Mail: 'This is a rather frightening and callous New Year's greeting for the Jewish community.' He said the framing of Mr Miliband's statement was 'ugly and thoughtless' and will increase the 'appalling hostile environment for Jews in the UK'.Tory life peer Lord Polak also took aim at the Foreign Secretary's choice of words to describe himself as 'proud Jew' when announcing the policy. Members of the Jewish community comfort each other near Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester following a terror attack last year Pictured: Daniel Walker standing with armed police officers as they speak with members of the Jewish community after the attack on October 2, 2025He said: 'For the Foreign Secretary to have the gall to begin his horrific speech that he is a proud British Jew is repugnant and an insult to thousands of really proud British Jews.'I do not expect that Mr Milliband, as a 'proud Jew', will reflect on Rosh Hashanah this weekend about how treacherous he has been to Israel and the Jewish community. The next two years will be sadly horrific.'The Board of Deputies of British Jews said it followed the announcement with 'deep regret' and hit out at the timing.A spokesman said: 'Before the Jewish New Year festival of Rosh Hashanah, with concerns for communal security at their highest levels, this will be felt particularly acutely by British Jews.